No Obvious Truths

Chapter 25

A Good Day

Harry's eyes blinked open sleepily, his clothes were a little wet from sweat, but they were usually worse so he couldn't complain that's for sure. His green eyes lit up just seeing the wall mural, he'd been mostly confined to bed, but the sight had yet to grow old. Occasionally he was able to get outside and get some air on really good days. He loved those days, getting to ride Smaug with Draco, who he missed a great deal. Reading his letters helped, yet made him long to be at Hogwarts at the same time.

An owl hooted from one of the chairs near his bed, alerting Harry to his presence. Staring curiously, he frowned when he could see nothing on the owl, then again he couldn't see much of anything right now. His rail thin hand reached out for his glasses and slid them on, a letter dropping from his chest onto the bed. Harry recognized Draco's handwriting immediately, opening it as his stomach grumbled in hunger. It was going to be a good day, he was very hungry, and he didn't feel sick.

"Dobby?" called Harry.

"What can Dobby get for Master Harry Potter, sir?" asked Dobby, appearing beside the bed, his body bouncing up and down at getting to serve his new Master.

"Can you get me some peanut butter on toast, like normal, and some orange juice?" asked Harry, still unsure about demanding anything from Dobby. He knew how it felt to be ordered around and forced to do things, he hadn't liked it. Yet Dobby did seem over the moon to help him.

"Dobby will get you that, MasterHarry Potter, sir!" said Dobby, immediately popping away.

Opening the letter, Harry began to read it, grinning outright at some parts of it and laughing quietly at others. He really liked the sound of the twins, they were fun and he couldn't wait to meet them. The twins had apparently changed Parkinson's, Crabbe and Goyle's hair bright red with gold highlights. For no other reason than the twins knew they hated Gryffindor, and thus the house colours that represented it. Not only that but every time she started the word 'Bully' writes itself on her face in the appearance of pimples, like join the dots, or rather spots as the case may be. Oh how he would have loved to have seen it. Apparently Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger, Gryffindor's had realized what they did and thanked them. Harry didn't understand the separation that went on in the houses at Hogwarts, so he was rather glad not all of them were prideful about their house.

"I see you are already awake!" said Narcissa, making her way into Harry's room, her eyes alight with worry as she hurried over to him. Pressing her palm against his head, she was relieved to feel that Harry wasn't overly warm. His eyes were clear, indicating he wasn't ill. In fact he seemed to have a bit more colour to him. The change in potions were doing him the world of good, althoughit wasn't over, she knew that. Harry had good days and bad days, they took them as they came, making sure to make the best of the good days making the worse ones bearable. "How long have you been awake? How are you feeling?" she added still fussing as she always did.

"Not long," said Harry rubbing his eyes, his glasses riding up his nose, the letter from Draco still clutched in his hands.

"Here is Master Harry Potter's breakfast," said Dobby making an appearance.

Narcissa took the tray and placed it on Harry's lap, sitting down on the chair and watching him intently. She relaxed somewhat when Harry immediately picked up the peanut butter toast and began devouring it. It was indeed going to be a good day. Tom was going to take Harry outside for some air, since it wasn't going to remain sunny long. The winter weather would soon cling to everything, and Harry couldn't go out in the rain or snow when it began. His immune system was barely working, and if he got so much as a cold…all their hard work would be for nothing. Shenanigans was curled up at the bottom of the bed still asleep and for once Nagini wasn't sleeping beside Harry. Either that or he'd left to find Tom sometime before she came in.

"Can you eat more Harry?" enquired Narcissa once Harry finished off the two pieces of toast.

"Yes please," said Harry smiling at her in thanks. He really liked her, and everyone come to that. They went out of their way to make sure he was comfortable, now wheras in the hospital it was their job. Here they didn't have to, never once was he reminded of the Dursley's, and the thought of never having to clean or cook again left him rather giddy. He'd been too sick most of the time to think about it, but it was on his mind more often than not these days. He had, dare he say it, a family? A brother, one he missed dearly, and wished he could be with. Draco was the best, he'd never had a proper friend he could actually play with. In the hospital they had been as sick as him, and not able to play the way Draco could with him.

"Dobby?" called Narcissa.

"Yes Lady Malfoy?" asked Dobby appearing in front of her, answering her call immediately.

"Bring up a few extra pieces of toast with peanut butter for Harry, he's feeling better today." said Narcissa.

"Yes ma'am," said Dobby.

"Someone's feeling better today did I hear?" asked Tom, making his way into the room with a book in his hand. He was taking his turn to teach Harry about Herbology, but would do it in the garden.

"Yes I am." said Harry grinning at Tom, "Am I still getting to go outside? Nagini, Smaug and Shenanigans would like that."

"Of course," said Tom patting Harry's shoulder as he took a seat on his bed, wakening Shenanigans up in the process. Mewing in protest she jumped off the bed and disappeared from view.

No doubt off to get something to eat, as her dishes were replenished every morning by the house elves. Nagini fed herself or got treats from him.

Dobby appeared with four more pieces of toast, coated all over with peanut butter. Harry chewed on one as Narcissa and Tom spoke about Severus, the healer, andwhat they were doing for the day. Harry ate quicker when his body began to ache something fierce. He wouldn't last much longer without the pain reliever, but he didn't have to. The potions were always taken directly after his breakfast. He was very familiar with his new routine as he had been with the one in the hospital.

"Ready to take your potions?" said Narcissa. She began removing the tray, but Harry grabbed onto the orange juice. He'd been dying for some for days; he was determined to have some today while his stomach could handle it. He sipped it testing the waters, once it went over well he began to take bigger drinks until the goblet was empty. Narcissa took it from him then put it on the tray, handing him the first potion he had to take. There were five in total, to be drunk in a specific order, and Narcissa knew that. The healer didn't have to come and administer them to him, but he often did make an appearance at least every other day, making sure Harry was well and recovering. He also made sure nothing was going wrong with the potions he was taking.

"Yeah," said Harry, anything was better than the chemotherapy he'd been going through.

Tom spoke after Harry finished taking the potions, "Have some rest then we will go outside and learn some Herbology and if you are still up for it do an essay about what you learned okay?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically, having not grown up knowing about magic he wanted to know everything. Although writing essays was boring, he was smart enough to realize that even in Hogwarts he'd be doing the same thing. "Can I use my wand again today?" Hisgreen eyes were pleading.

"Herbology doesn't require wands, but if you are capable after writing an essay I'll show you a spell later. How does that sound?" asked Tom, smirking in amusement ashe knew how it felt. He'd entered the magical world when he was Harry's age, using his wand for the first time. He understood Harry's thirst to learn everything he could about the new world. Harry couldn't just learn first year spells; he'd need to learn some good defense spells. Not just Harry but the others as well, however it could wait until next summer when Harry should be recovered. Before he attended Hogwarts for his second year, he may even have to be warned about Dumbledore. He might not be evil, but he had ignored Harry's suffering and they knew he'd manipulate Harry given the first opportunity. Thankfully after this year being with them all, he'd be less likely to believe anything Dumbledore say about the Malfoy's or Severus. Dumbledore would try and influence Harry away from his new family.

"Brilliant!" said Harry grinning gleefully. "Am I getting my flying lesson today?" he whispered to Tom, remembering that Lucius had said he would get to have one this week.

"Yes," smirked Tom conspiratorially.

"I can't wait!" cheered Harry as he curled back into his bed, yet despite the excitement he'd displayed he fell back asleep listening to the droning voice of Tom speaking in Parseltongue. Nagini must have been out hunting and made a reappearance. Harry smiled when he felt the snake slithering onto his bed, remembering just how fast she could move when she wanted. A forked tongue on his face caused him to giggle slightly, but that was the last thing he remembered.

"Let's get breakfast, Dobby will help him wash and then we can start the day." said Tom standing up, wandering back through to his room, waking Lucius up.

"Come and see me before classes start," said Severus whispering to his godson, at the Slytherin table as he walked up to his space at the teachers table. Not even waiting on a reply, as he knew his godson would come out of curiosity more than anything else. The sooner he told Draco the better it was for all concerned, he couldn't let anything happen to him. Not only would it kill him if anything happened on his watch and it could have been prevented, Narcissa would bring him back just to kill him over and over again. If there was a woman who loved her son too much, Narcissa was definitely the one. It was in that regard both Narcissa and Lily were alike.

Breakfast was a rushed affair, between being asked how Harry was fairing and keeping an eye on his Slytherins. Teachers he'd never said more than a few words to were daring his wrath to ask how the child was.

"Severus, I gathered the pictures you asked for," said Minerva, "I put them into a nice album for him if that's okay?" placing the brown leather photo album at the side of Severus' plate.

"That's fine, thank you," said Severus. Harry would be pleased.

"Hagrid made the biggest contribution to the photos," said Minerva. The poor boy was so sick, and to never have seen what his parents looked like was unbelievable and unconceivable.

"Aye, little 'arry deserved them more than I do!" said Hagrid from a few seats down but hearing the conversation anyway. He understood how bad it was, he may seem stupid but he wasn't, although he was loose tongued when he wanted to be. He sometimes just didn't think before speaking.

"I'll get them to him tomorrow," said Severus, as he needed to brew the next weeks' worth of potions, the fresher the potion the more potent it was. There was one thing about potions, they were completely sterilized, and had no risk of anything going wrong.

"He truly is doing better?" asked Minerva again. She would be going next week to give him another lesson in transfiguration. He was doing well for someone as sick as he was.

"As well as can be expected," said Severus he wasn't one to sugar-coat anything.

"Do you think he will be well enough to attend Hogwarts next year?" asked Dumbledore, his voice concerned, ashe felt guilty for leaving Harry to it. His mantra 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' mindset for Harry Potter had nearly backfired. Leaving him to be treated by the Muggles had been a big mistake; he hadn't wanted Harry knowing about the magical world until it was time for him to come to Hogwarts. Now the Malfoy's had custody of him, which complicated matters in ways he didn't like thinking about. Yet he was determined to have things go his way, no matter the consequences. He couldn't allow Lucius to convert Harry to the side of Dark, or hand him over to the Dark Lord when he returned.

"If the treatments go well I can see no reason why not." said Severus, wary of telling Dumbledore too much. On one hand they needed him, on the other they knew what he wanted for Harry. Narcissa would never allow Harry to be turned into Dumbledore's little hero, so if he had that planned he'd better sleep with one eye permanently open. He'd never see Narcissa coming; she was one vindictive witch when she wanted to be. She was the ultimate Slytherin, and that'swhat drew him to her - like a moth to the flame.

"If you'll excuse me, I must prepare for class," said Severus standing up when he noticed Dumbledore opening his mouth again. He wanted to avoid too much conversation, especially when Quirrell was there, he hadn't been sure about him, but they hadn't known what it was. He'd suspected as much before Harry's scar had hurt, this was just definitive proof. Which reminded him, he had to figure out a way to warn the twins to keep an eye on their brother. They were old enough to catch on to his veiled warning, and smart enough to take it to heart.

Severus was in his classroom, looking at everything he had to do, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. He heard the door open but didn't look up, assuming it was Draco coming since he'd asked for him.

"Severus is everything okay? Is Harry…" asked Draco his blue eyes filled with worry.

"Harry is fine, Draco, it's you I want to speak to." said Severus soothing his godson immediately, perhaps he should have been more specific. Of course Draco would fear something was wrong with Harry, it was only natural, he was eleven years old. He cast a silencing spell around the room, keeping their conversation private.

"Oh," said Draco relaxing as he sat down staring at Severus curiously, wondering what he wanted.

Severus stopped what he was doing, staring back at him, wondering how to phrase it. "You understand we have suspicions about Professor Quirrell?" said Severus deciding this way was for the best. He didn't want to tell Draco too much and give anything away.

"Yes, Harry's scar hurt for a reason," said Draco nodding quickly, truth be told he'd forgotten, with the Parkinson issue.

"It did indeed," said Severus, his black eyes glinting with pride, "Which is why I want you to be wary of him. Never go anywhere with him alone, if you hear or see anything suspicious I want you to come to me immediately, do you understand?"

"I will, Severus," promised Draco solemnly.

"No matter what occurs, even if it has nothing to do with Quirrell." added Severus.

"Okay, I promise." said Draco nodding sagely.

"Keep your wand within reach distance when near him." said Severus.

Draco's eyes widened slightly but once again dutifully promised to do so.

"Good, go on, I'm sure your friends are waiting for you outside the door." said Severus wryly, removing the silencing spell he'd put up.

Draco grinned, back to being a cheerful eleven year old, and for that Severus was eternally grateful. He just hoped he wouldn't have to tell him more. Draco and his friends deserved a childhood, a chance to spread their wings at school without fear. Itwasn't possible, but they could leave out anything that would truly upset or age them before their time. Tom would be speaking to Blaise's mother, and he would be told. Once he had the Weasley twins alerted to the situation, they'd have all the protection they could be afforded. With him also keeping an eye out, well Quirrell would be stupid to try anything.

This is the edited version, a special thanks to Tenchi for editing it for me :) thank you for your work!